August Update From Prisoners Defenders on Cuba
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/10/12
*Interview conducted September 26, 2024.*
Javier Larrondo Calafat is the President of Prisoners Defenders. Here we talk about the large number of political prisoners in Cuba.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: We are back here with Javier from Prisoners Defenders. I received the report indicating that 1,105 people are currently imprisoned for political reasons in Cuba. Based on my review of the report, fewer people were imprisoned this month than in previous months. Why the slowdown?
Javier Larrondo Calafat: Well, it’s natural for the number to slow down when it gets so high, and it has been sustained for so many years as people begin completing their sentences. This month, we saw 15 people removed from the list:
- Thirteen of them completed their sentences.
- One tragically committed suicide.
- Another was forcibly expatriated from Cuba.
Additionally, there were only two new cases this month.
At this rate, the number of political prisoners could drop to around 1,000 within six to nine months, assuming nothing significant happens to increase the numbers. However, we still have 30 minors and 117 women on the list. Torture and mistreatment continue for the prisoners, and this report focuses on two or three particularly concerning issues.
One major issue is that people with mental illnesses are being placed in high-security prisons among dangerous inmates, leading to extreme suffering. To make matters worse, they are not receiving the medication they need. We’ve documented 62 such cases so far, but we expect that number to rise to 80.
We also focused on the poor nutritional conditions prisoners face. Many are underweight, falling below the United Nations’ minimum BMI of 18.5. We documented cases where individuals have BMIs as low as 15.78. For instance, some prisoners are 1.87 meters tall (6 feet 2 inches) but weigh only 58 kilograms (128 pounds). Another example is a man who is 1.80 meters tall (5 feet 10 inches) and weighs just 50 kilograms (110 pounds). These conditions put them at extreme risk.
Additionally, 329 prisoners are suffering from serious physical illnesses, putting their lives in danger. Their families are understandably desperate, and we wanted to highlight this issue.
Finally, we drew attention to the mistreatment of women prisoners, who are being separated from their children. The state takes custody of the children and places them in state-run centers where they are subjected to abuse. In one case, the child of a political prisoner has attempted suicide several times due to sexual harassment, bullying, and mistreatment.
In total, the situation for the 1,105 political prisoners in Cuba is extremely concerning.
Jacobsen: One last question: I appreciate your time. What about the minors in prison?
Calafat: Most minors are held in labour camps or under house arrest, with sentences averaging around five years. However, some are in actual prisons, ranging from 15 to 17 years old. In Cuba, minors as young as 15 can be imprisoned. The Cuban government has acknowledged our numbers and even higher ones to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. It’s a very concerning situation. Even those under house arrest are frequently harassed, detained, interrogated, and threatened by the authorities.
Jacobsen: Thank you so much for your time, Javier.
Calafat: Thank you, Scott.
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